Coolant splash shield and support



p 15, 1964 w. E. REASER 3,148,488

COOLANT SPLASH SHIELD AND SUPPORT Filed Dec. 11, 1951 E 5- AT TC J RNEYS United States Patent 3,148,488 CGQLANT SPLASH SEHELD AND SUPPORTWarren E. Reaser, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to The Sun Tool and MachineCompany, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Dec. 11, 1961, Ser.No. 158,253 3 Claims. (Cl. 51-267) This invention is concerned with adevice for confining liquid spray in a machine tool, and moreparticularly to a coolant splash shield for a glass edge grindingmachine. The coolant splash shield for the present invention isespecially useful with an edge grinding wheel that is mounted on the endof a vertically extending shaft for rotation in a horizontal plane.

In the past it was customary to utilize a series of brushes to containthe coolant spray in the area adjacent the glass edge grinding wheel.These brushes were spaced from the edge of the grinding wheel andextended along onehalf the periphery thereof. The coolant was directedalong the path generally tangential to the grinding wheel into thebrushes, and as a glass sheet moved into contact with the wheel thecoolant was deflected by the glass into engagement with the periphery ofthe wheel. As the brushes became worn the coolant had a tendency to movethrough the brushes requiring considerable screening around the grindingmachine to protect the operator. Also when the liquid coolant wasdirected against the periphery of the wheel by the glass, the coolantwas atomized and thrown through brushes by centrifugal force therebylosing its effectiveness.

The problems arising from the coolant splash shields of the prior artare solved by the structure of the present invention which provides acontinuous curtain of coolant adjacent and spaced from one-half of theperipheral surface of the grinding wheel. The coolant curtain does nottouch the grinding wheel except during the grinding operation when theglass deflects a portion of the curtain into engagement with the wheel.Flexible shields are mounted outwardly of the curtain to catch anycoolant that is propelled outwardly by centrifugal force as the glassengages the grinding wheel.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide acoolant splash shield that is inexpensively manufactured and eliminatesthe necessity for auxiliary splash guards on the machine tool.

A further object of the invention is to provide a coolant splash shieldwhich effectively contains the coolant in the grinding machine therebyeliminating the necessity for the operator to wear waterproof protectiveclothing.

Further object of the invention is to provide apparatus for supplying aliquid coolant to a grinding wheel which contains the coolant in thevicinity of the wheel and prolongs its life.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improvedcoolant splash shield which reduces edge chipping during the grindingoperation thereby achieving an improved finished product.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the descriptionwhich follows and from the drawings in which like numbers are usedthroughout to identify like parts.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus of the illvention mountedadjacent a glass edge grinding wheel;

FIG. 2 is a horizontal section taken along the line 22 in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a vertical section taken along the line 3-3 in FIG. 1.

The above stated objects are achieved by an improved coolant splashshield which comprises a curved member which is mounted above thegrinding wheel and has a 3,148,488 Patented Sept. 15., 1964semi-circular slot therein spaced outwardly of one-half the peripheraledge of the grinding wheel. Coolant is fed through the slot to form acontinuous curtain adjacent this half of the grinding wheel, and thecoolant curtain does not touch the wheel except during the grindingoperation when the glass deflects the curtain into engagement with thewheel. Fexible shields encircle the wheel to contain the coolant.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a typical grinding wheel10 having a circular configuration and a groove in the peripheralsurface thereof for finishing the edge of a glass sheet 12. The grindingwheel 10 is mounted on the end of a vertically extending shaft 14 whichrotates at high speed, and the shaft is of the type utilized in thegrinding machine shown in United States Patent No. 2,579,337. Thegrinding wheel 10 rotates at high speed in a horizontal plane, and it isnecessary to provide a liquid coolant to its peripheral edge during thegrinding operation.

According to the invention the stream of coolant is supplied radiallyoutward from the periphery of the wheel 10 in the form of a solid wallor curtain 16 which does not normally contact the wheel except duringthe grinding operation when it is deflected thereagainst by the glasssheet 12. Thus the coolant does not tend to erode the wheel It) when theglass is not being ground. Means are provided for containing the coolantthat is thrown from the edge of the wheel 10 in the vicinity of thegrinding wheel.

The structure of the invention includes a coolant splash guard 18 thatis positioned above the grinding Wheel 10 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. Thecoolant guard 18 comprises a curved member 2t that has a generally Cshaped configuration and is mounted circumjacent a portion of the shaft14. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 a semi-circular chamber 22 within thecurved member 24 forms a coolant header that is in communication with asuitable supply through a line 24. The coolant flows from the chamber 22through a continuous, semi-circular slot 26 in the bottom thereof, andbecause this slot is continuous the coolant flows therethrough to formthe solid wall or curtain 16. The slot 26 is located not only above thegrinding wheel 19 but also radially outward therefrom so that thecoolant curtain 16 does not contact the periphery of the wheel. As theglass sheet 12 is moved toward the grinding wheel lit, a portion of thecoolant curtain 16 is deflected into engagement with the periphery ofthe wheel 10.

A portion of this deflected coolant is thrown outwardly from theperipheral surface of the grinding wheel 10 by centrifugal force. Thecoolant guard 18 also comprises a generally semi-circular, flexibleshield 28 which is mounted on the lowermost portion of the outerperipheral surface of the member 20, and a semi-circular, flexibleshield 30. The flexible shield 28 extends downwardly a predetermineddistance to the central portion of the periphery of the wheel 10 so thatwhen the glass sheet 12 engages the wheel 10 the area between the glassand the shield 28 is closed to contain the coolant spray.

The opposite or rear side of the grinding wheel ltl is covered by thesecond flexible shield Stl that depends downwardly from a semi-circulararm 32 having both ends secured to opposed ends of the member 20 asshown in FIG. 3. The flexible shield 30 is substantially longer than theshield 23 and extends downwardly beyond the plane of the lower surfaceof the grinding wheel 10.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed, it will be appreciated that various modifications can be madeto this structure without departing from the spirit of the invention orthe scope of the subjoined claims.

anasaes I claim:

1. In combination with a grinding wheel mounted on the end of avertically extending shaft for rotation in a generally horizontal plane,a curved member mounted above said grinding wheel circumjacent a portionof said shaft, said member being stationary with respect to said shaft,a chamber formed within said member, means for supplying a fluid coolantto said chamber, said member having a continuous opening extending alongthe bottom thereof forming an exit from said chamber, said opening beingspaced upwardly and outwardly from the periphery of said grinding wheelwhereby said coolant flows from said chamber in the form of a curtainspaced outwardly from said grinding wheel, a first flexible shieldmounted on said member outwardly from said opening, said first flexibleshield depending downwardly from said member a predetermined distance tothe central portion of the periphery of said grinding wheel andextending around substantially one half of said periphery, and a secondflexible shield mounted adjacent said first flexible shield andextending downwardly beyond said grinding wheel about the remaining halfof said periphery.

2. In combination with a grinding wheel mounted on the end of avertically extending shaft for rotation in a generally horizontal plane,a curved member mounted above said grinding wheel circumjacent a portionof said shaft, a semi-circular chamber formed within said curved member,means for supplying a liquid coolant to said chamber, said curved memberhaving a continuous opening extending along the bottom thereof formingan exit from said chamber, said opening being spaced upwardly andoutwardly from the periphery of said grinding wheel whereby said liquidcoolant flows from said chamber in the form of a curtain spacedoutwardly from said grinding wheel, a first flexible shield spacedoutwardly from said curtain, said first flexible shield dependingdownwardly to the central portion of the periphery of said grindingwheel and extending around substantially one half of said periphery, acurved arm mounted above said grinding wheel circumjacent the remainingportion of said shaft, said curved arm having opposite ends secured toopposed ends of said curved member, and a second flexible shield mountedon said curved arm and depending downwardly therefrom beyond saidgrinding wheel about the remaining half of said periphery.

3. Apparatus for supplying a liquid coolant to a grinding wheel andcontaining said coolant in the vicinity of said wheel, said apparatuscomprising a curved member having a coolant chamber formed therein andbeing stationary with respect to said grinding wheel, said member havinga continuous opening therein forming an exit from said coolant chamberwhereby said liquid coolant flows from said coolant chamber in the formof a liquid curtain, a first flexible shield depending a predetermineddistance from said curved member outwardly from said opening andextending in a semi-circle, a curved arm having opposite ends secured toopposed ends of said curved member, and a second flexible shielddepending from said curved arm a distance greater than saidpredetermined distance and extending in a semi-circle whereby saidgrinding wheel is encircled by said first and second flexible shields.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS436,892 Harrington Sept. 23, 1890 1,100,845 Richter June 23, 19142,738,625 Strnad Mar. 20, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 696,198 Great BritainAug. 26, 1953

3. APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING A LIQUID COOLANT TO A GRINDING WHEEL ANDCONTAINING SAID COOLANT IN THE VICINITY OF SAID WHEEL, SAID APPARATUSCOMPRISING A CURVED MEMBER HAVING A COOLANT CHAMBER FORMED THEREIN ANDBEING STATIONARY WITH RESPECT TO SAID GRINDING WHEEL, SAID MEMBER HAVINGA CONTINUOUS OPENING THEREIN FORMING AN EXIT FROM SAID COOLANT CHAMBERWHEREBY SAID LIQUID COOLANT FLOWS FROM SAID COOLANT CHAMBER IN THE FORMOF A LIQUID CURTAIN, A FIRST FLEXIBLE SHIELD DEPENDING A PREDETERMINEDDISTANCE FROM SAID CURVED MEMBER OUTWARDLY FROM SAID OPENING ANDEXTENDING IN A SEMI-CIRCLE, A CURVED ARM HAVING OPPOSITE ENDS SECURED TOOPPOSED ENDS OF SAID CURVED MEMBER, AND A SECOND FLEXIBLE SHIELDDEPENDING FROM SAID CURVED ARM A DISTANCE GREATER THAN SAIDPREDETERMINED DISTANCE AND EXTENDING IN A SEMI-CIRCLE WHEREBY SAIDGRINDING WHEEL IS ENCIRCLED BY SAID FIRST AND SECOND FLEXIBLE SHIELDS.